Henderson’s expanded, much-improved Web site becomes a reality sometime today. It, not a police cruiser, is the best vehicle for distributing information.
Something happened at Monday night’s City Council meeting that was easy to miss but that says a lot about the mess we Hendersonians find ourselves in.
During a report on the work of the Journal Committee, Ranger Wilkerson said that he, Chairwoman Mary Emma Evans and City Clerk Dianne White had discussed problems with producing and distributing the agenda packets for each council meeting in a timely manner. Wilkerson said they agreed that a cutoff time was needed for inclusion on the advance agenda. Evans suggested a policy to give White a few days to respond to public requests so she didn’t have to stop what she was doing all the time and get people information (we were a bit taken aback by Evans’ unintentionally anti-customer-service message, but we trust that wasn’t her intent).
As for the distribution of the agenda packets, Wilkerson said there’s no reason to change: Police officers will continue to hand-deliver the packages to the mayor, the city attorney and the eight City Council members.
It is a little thing. It has big implications and even bigger symbolism.
We understand why the City Council’s agenda is rarely ready before 5 p.m. on the Friday before a Monday meeting, while the Vance County Board of Commissioners’ agenda is usually ready by noon on the Friday before a Monday session, and the Vance Board of Education almost always has its agenda packet prepared by the Wednesday before a Monday meeting. It’s a difference that reflects the twice-a-month meeting schedule for the City Council, compared with once a month for the county boards.
What we don’t understand is why any of our able-bodied elected officials need our undermanned, overworked police force to serve as a courier service.
That’s right, in case you didn’t know it: Our police officers take time out from fighting crime (and risk back injuries) to deliver the hefty agenda packages to the eight City Council members, the mayor and the city attorney. One officer collects the packages, including a few set aside for the media, at the Municipal Building on Beckford Drive and brings them to the police station. Officers then carry the officials’ packages to their homes or offices (we in the media pick ours up at the police station on Mondays).
We’re not trying to be overly dramatic here. We don’t think patrol officers are standing on porches, ringing doorbells and stooping under the weight of their burdens, while ignoring urgent calls to investigate break-ins or shootings. But in a city with our budget and crime problems, every minute of a police officer’s time is precious. Why waste a second on such a mindless task?
We know every one of the council members, Mayor Clem Seifert and City Attorney John Zollicoffer can find their way to the Municipal Building and into the back door. Is it too much to ask that they make that trip twice — once Friday evening to pick up the packet, then again Monday night for the actual meeting?
Mechanically, it’s a simple thing. Decide that the agenda packets will be in officials’ mailboxes at the Municipal Building by 5 p.m. on the Friday before a Monday meeting. Set a deadline for agenda items to make that distribution possible. The cutoff might be noon Friday; it might by 5 p.m. Thursday. Just ensure White has enough time to put the packets together, and don’t worry if something misses the deadline. City Manager Eric Williams can and does add items at the start of every meeting.
Ultimately, to enhance efficiency, expand public information and save a few trees, we’d like to see the city post the entire agenda packet as a downloadable, printable file on the municipal government’s snazzy new Web site, which goes live today.
The agenda document could be online by 5 p.m. on the Friday before meetings. Council members and others wanting a hard copy could print one or more out at their own expense, just as they’ll be able to do with meeting minutes, and everyone would have access to the same information we in the media have well before the meetings. Any information that does not qualify as a public record, such as personnel data, could be sent to council members and the mayor by e-mail or left in the officials’ mailboxes at the Municipal Building to avoid public scrutiny. And any council members who lack Internet access or insist on an agenda printed at city expense could get their packages in the same mailboxes.
The money saved won’t restore the fund balance. The paper preserved won’t put a dent in the destruction of rain forests. The police time restored won’t solve any murders or bust any master criminals. Sadly, the extra, more timely information probably won’t produce a wiser public.
But going all-online with the agenda and supporting materials is an easy way to make a change for the better. It could be a great way to show that Henderson is willing to embrace technology and innovation and that city leaders are willing to take the first small steps toward revamping government as we move into the future.